By the Sea
by Poesie Personnifiee
Summary: The Queen is desperate for an heir to maintain her thrown and The people are clamoring her head. How far will she go the keep her crown and how deep do the consequences of her actions extend? (Cora/George/Rumple/Regina/Hunter)
1. Chapter 1: Desperate Stories

**Chapter One**

**_Desperate Stories_**

The queen paced back and forth in the vastness of her chambers. They were new and glimmered with the promise of eternal comfort but for the queen it was a waiting cell. What had began as paradise would soon become torture.

"Three times, Keller, three loss. Do you think they'll simply let me try again?!" The queen yelled. She was rattled with fear, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

"Sister, the king will not let any harm come to his Queen!" her sister reached out to her and for an instant she was soothed, but the thought rushed passed her and she shrugged, Keller away.

"The king is ruled by the hearts of his people and his Queen can be replaced! They are Clamoring for my head Keller!"

"They are not-"

"I've killed their hopes at an Heir Keller! Three times now!" The Queen burst into tears.

"The child is not dead!", Keller screamed. She felt the words at the pit of her stomach.

"Yet." The queen whispered. She collapsed to the floor, glancing up at her sister helplessly. Keller fell to her knees and cradled her sister's head.

"Nothing will happen to you, Lana. Nothing." She hadn't called the queen by her name in so long, she'd almost forgotten the taste of her sister's name on her lips.

"She's dying Keller, nothing short of a miracle will save me." Alana's first child had died in the womb. The boy had been born sleeping. He'd never opened his eyes. Though the little girl had opened her eyes, she had never cried. She was a silent child that stared with a sort of lost carelessness. As Keller held the child, she knew something was wrong, but she hoped for the best. Her hope had not been enough and now the little girl's illness was only getting worse.

Alana stood and straightened herself up. She had never been one for purposeless tears. There was no crowd to see her pain; no audience to spared her mercy. She was alone with her sister in a chamber of waiting cells and she refused to show weakness where the act was not warrant. She wiped away the evidence and began pacing once more.

"We have to find an answer."

"There is no answer Lana, the child is dying." Keller held back her own tears and tried her best not to show how attached she become to the child. "perhaps the next one will be healthier. They have been getting better." She pressed a sternness into her tone that promised a confidence she knew was false.

"There is no next time, sister. The council has already begged for my removal after the boy's death." she tip-toed back and forth in her fluffy black heels. Her emerald gown flowed elegantly about her, compliment her bright red tresses. She had always been a beautiful woman, with piercing dark green eyes and a quirk to the shape of her lips that softened the angles of her face. The cutthroat tone of her voice that she worked so hard to hide when in the presence of courtiers had returned with a vengeance. She was determined and when Alana was determined things happened. It had been that tone, that train of thought that brought them into the inner courts and right into the castle. Keller remembered holding the bouquet as her sister accepted the ring that she was sure would keep them in their places. _Once I produce an heir there will be no more questions about our past dear sister!_ She spoke so confidently the night of her marriage.

The entire kingdom had known that the king had had a previous engagement to the lady of gold. After the mysterious Lady Alana had appear the King had been smitten and married the Golden lady off to a nobleman of his kingdom. The promise of a bride that could spin straw into gold had stuck effortlessly in the peoples mind. When the kingdom learned that she had been replaced with this foreigner they wondered what it was she could offer that the Lady of Gold could not? They balked about her accent and called her a peasant behind closed doors. She tried her best to blend with the people of her new land, practicing their accents and learning the ways of court, but the people were not pleased. It was not until her first pregnancy had been announced that the people softened to her. They complimented the peachy color of her tone and listened to the king speak of their future child. When the babe was lost the people sympathized with her. They cried with her at the funeral and chanted their approval of the empathetic queen. She had been accepted. All that was needed now was the heir. The boy had been the turning point for the worst. One lost child was a pity, but two was a pattern. Her opposers were riled up again once more. They maintained a firm hold on the council which was meant to be the voice of the people. If the people were displeased it was known for the king to bend to there wills. It was only the sake of chance that offered Alana safety. She had become pregnant once more, too soon in the councils' opinion, after the loss of the boy. There were rumors that this was nothing but a stall, that the child would be still born for dead before birth like the others. She had proven them wrong when the little girl was born alive, but sick. Only another chance of luck had the doctor whom birth the child, the only other who knew besides Alana and her sister died suddenly. Keller thought of the coincidence momentarily but soon brushed it into the back of her mind along with the other coincidences that involved her sister. _Luck is a thing you make, dear sister,_ Alana had always said.

Keller put distance between she and the queen, feeling a brief rush of fear and distrust of her. She glided elegantly over to the book case. It had been said that Alana was beautiful, but that her sister was even more so. Alana maintained a beauty that was highly complimented by her charismatic demeanor. Keller was simply graceful and attractive. She brushed her fingers absently over the bindings of the books. She enjoyed reading more than anything. Her finger caught on a particularly rough spine that she knew all too well. She pulled it from the shelf and tossed it lightly between her hands.

"Remember this, sister?" she began, feeling a nostalgic wistfulness flow through her. Alana had not stopped pacing, only paying a moments notice to what her sister held in her hand. "It's our story book. Mother used to read it to us. It took a lot just to get it here, but I knew we'd want to bring a piece of our history to our children."

Alana swung around violently. "History? I don't want my children knowing my _history_!" she snatched the book from her sisters hands. "You need to focus! No little fairytales are going to save us, keller!" she slammed the book onto the ground. It was such a fragile thing, having faced the waves of travel and child hood wear and tear, that the bind split apart on impact. Keller could no longer hold her emotions in, tears developing in her eyes. She wasn't as good at being cold as her sister. Alana saw the hurt in her little sister's eyes, a sister she had promised to protect. Reflexively, she reached down for the book.

"Now, now Keller, the bokk can be-" She stopped mid sentence staring intently at the pages. Keller wiped away her tears before they fell and straightened her face.

"What is it?" she asked, intrigued by how focused her sister had become, so much so that she had stopped pacing all together.

"This is it." She whispered. A smile swept across her face and she swayed with approval. "This is it!" she exclaimed excitedly, bouncing as if she wanted to dance the night away. Keller slid to her sister's side and leaned intently into the page.

"The weeping widow's story?"

"No my sister, what it contains!" she pressed together the broken book, shutting it as best she could. "Tell me sister, what do you remember about mermaids?"


	2. Chapter 2: Cruel intentions

**Chapter Two**

_**Cruel Intentions**_

There was a low rumble in the halls as the queen and her dear sister walked pass ogling spectators. Alana persevered keeping her eyes on her destination, until someone step directly into her sights.

"My queen! Oh what a pleasure it is to see you in such good health today!" The woman bowed stiffly, maintaining eye contact implying she meant none of it.

"The lady…" She leaned toward her sister to whispered nonsense in her ear as if pretending she could not recall the woman's name of her own accord. "Miller, is it?"

"The Lady Mills, your majesty."

"Ah, yes, My _husband_ set your match to Henry. Yes of course, I recall that. Quite a clever match for the Lady of Gold. Wouldn't you agree, that the king has chosen an excellent match?" Alana let slip a bit of the sharpness to her tone. Normally, she feigned an almost genuine kindness to even the people whom hated her, but this was the woman who wanted her crown. This was the lady to which her opposers clamored behind. From the very beginning, Cora Mills had stated her contempt for the woman whom had replaced her. Alana had no doubts that she'd rid herself of her husband the instant the king suggested he might choose another bride.

"Most certainly your highness. An excellent match indeed." It was known that Cora detested her husband. She was a strong woman, whom needed a strong man. Perhaps if they hadn't been put on opposite sides of a persevering argument Alana and Cora would have made an excellent pair of adversarial friends. "And a congratulations to the king and yourself on the new little princess." A decisive move, that struck a potent worry in Alana's face. "I'm sure she is a healthy babe." Cora finished, shoving the dagger in.

"This was a wonderful chat, but I'm afraid the lady Keller and I must continue on with our day." She glared Cora into a submissive bow. Once the Queen had finished speaking it was the end of the conversation, and Alana was still queen… for the moment.

"Of course your Majesty. Perhaps another chat? Soon?" Cora said lifting herself to her full height.

"Perhaps. We shall see. What with the heir to the kingdom so young, my full attention must be set upon her." She smiled a reassuring smile that oozed with power; power that Cora did not possess nor would she ever if Alana could help it.

She conquered her composure as best she could, attempting to hide her flustered emotions from the eyeing spectators. Still, Cora had plucked at the string of her worries and she could not hide the sudden briskness to her step as she marched to the nursery.

"Cora looks well this morning." Keller said with contempt.

"She's just produced a child of her own. She's proven that she can do yet another thing I cannot."

"but sister you have produced an heir."

"Yes, but no one's seen her yet. As far as Cora is concerned, she doesn't even exist."

"They all have seen you pregnant my queen."

"Yes, Three times." She shot daggers at her sister with her tone and then regretted it. "I'm sorry sweet sister. I know you are only trying to help."

Keller wasn't quite sure she meant that, but still she permitted it. She had no choice; she'd never had a choice. "What of our discussion last night?"

"What of it?" The queen asked quizzically. Keller knew Alana knew what she was talking about.

"You said there was an answer in… In the story."

"Yes there is."

"Something to do with the mer-" Alana struck her sister with the tip of her elbow, knocking the wind of her chest.

"Yes, dear sister I know. I will explain about the stories to which I wish to tell my child when we are alone together.

Keller gasped for air momentarily and then quickly caught up with the queen. "Yes of course sister. How silly of me."

They reached the nursery and the queen dismissed the nursemaid. The nursemaid did not question her mistress. Alana had chosen her specifically because of her loyalties to the queen. She knew the old woman would not let loose the truth about her child.

"Thank you, Nima, for your service. You may have the next few hours to tend to your own needs." She said in as polite and airy a voice she could manage. The woman was old, but she was not blind. She had long since seen through Alana's façade, but she understood the queen. They had come from the same hard times that made hard women. The nurse had known it the moment she'd heard Alana's name. She was a force to be reckoned with from brith, the nurse was sure. No woman would dare name a child after such a fierce warrior had they not seen that quality. The people of the kingdom thought it was such a pretty name for such a pretty girl… the fools.

"And I thank you M'lady. Ogons, betoweth." She whispered, to which Keller replied, _Medams beknowst._ The Queen did not reply at all. After the woman left Keller shut the doors tightly and muffled the bottoms of them with blankets as her sister had instructed.

"We spoke of the Mer, Keller. I can only remember but a few things about them. What of you?" Alana began barely glancing at the child.

Keller strolled to the bassinette and ran her fingertips over the soft blankets wrapped around the little girl.

Keller knew she should ask what the Mer-people had to do with their current problem but she couldn't. "They're a water people."

"Yes, Yes, I know that. They live in the water."

"No, Alana, they _are_ the water. Their natural form is that of liquid. Very few have seen a Mer."

"Except the weeping widow."

"Yes." Alana puffed. She hated fairytales. She'd had to listen to them as a child. _Full of weak women with no ambition._ She'd thought. Keller had been swept away with the stories. Always asking questions about the creatures.

"And who is this Weeping Widow? Where can I find her?" The weeping widow story hadn't been very old; perhaps 13 years. The woman could very well still be alive, Alana thought, whatever her price, she would match it.

"The weeping widow is not a who, she's an… whoever. It refers to all woman whom have lost their husbands."

"So any woman can be a weeping widow?" This excited the queen.

"You must possess a dead husband, Alana."

"yes I know. Go on, more about the Mer people."

"It is the mermaid that answers the weeping widow's call. The book says that the woman much simply cry into the ocean, but I've come to learn that she must also spill blood. Mermaids eat meat you see, they can smell the blood and that is what attracts them. It is the widows tears, her pain that keeps them from dragging the widow into the ocean to drown and feasting upon your pain and sorrow."

"Blood and tears then? Great. Continue." Alana said in the rocking chair her gown flowing about her. She was so enthralled in the story that Keller lost herself in the sudden attention. She sat down beside the babe and stroked her blankets absently as she continued.

"Once the Widow has called upon the mermaid and the mermaid answers she must be kind to her. If she is wicked the Maid will curse her soul and never will she love again. But if she is kind the Maid will grant her a boon in exchange for her sorrows."

"In the story she asked for a companion."

"yes. A friend to help her through her mourning."

"And the Maid turned herself into a human to be the widow's companion."

"Yes. But only until she took the widows sorrows. Once her pain was gone the widow no longer mourned and the boon was paid in full. Once that happened the Mermaid had to return to the sea, or become sea foam." Alana gained a pensive look.

"Tell me sister, can the Mer remain on land without a boon?"

"yes, but not for long. She would need a body-"

"To fuse with, right?" Keller heard the excitement in Alana's voice and knew instantly what she was planning.

"You can't ask a Mer to fuse with the child. They won't do it. Fusing with an infant forces the mer to lose themselves!" Alana stood, offended at how demanding Keller's tone had become.

"I'm not going to ask." She jeered.

"The only other way would be-"

"Yes, keller. Blood and tears of a Mer." She hissed.

"If you knew all this why did you ask me to tell you anything?"

"I couldn't recall the ceremony for retrieving the Mer. I knew they were impossible to find without willingly showing themselves, but I knew you knew how to call it here."

"you're going to take the life of a Mermaid?" Mermaids were sacred to their heritage. There were hundreds of stories about the Mer and how they had saved many women from the brinks of destruction. Keller was appalled that Alana would even consider such a thing. And then it dawned on her. "What do you mean, you're not going to ask? You've never been a widow and even if you had you're already marr-"

"He would do it for her."

"How do you know that Alana!"

"She's his daughter!"

"And would you do it for her?! Would you kill me as well if it was needed?! Is this about saving her life or saving yours?"

For the second time today Alana struck her sister. This time she used the fullness of her strength. They had spent so many years pretending to be dainty things that Keller had forgotten how strong her sister was. She fell to her knees and held her face. This time there were no sympathies for her sister. Alana stood triumphantly over her sister.

"Understand something Keller. I am not the only one with a life at risk here. If we lose our place, questions will be asked and things from our past will start appearing. If I go down we all go down. I do this for you, for myself and most importantly for my daughter", She hissed. It had been the first time she'd called the child hers, "we have been in this together since the beginning my sweet girl and you have enjoyed the fruits of that labor time and time again without question. Do not start developing morals now, child. We've earned this and I won't soon give it up because it goes against your little conscience!"

Keller stood. "I am simply pointing out that if your plan fails and they find out, we won't simply be in trouble Alana, they'll cut off our heads."

"We'll die one way or the other, Keller. At least this option makes it quick." She sounded tired for a flickering moment. Then, grasping her sister passionately she pressed the two shoulder to shoulder. Leaning into her sister's ear she whispered, "I won't go back, Kelly. I can't go back to that life where there's no life at all. I won't return to those wastelands to rot." There was an ailing question in the midst of her words that Keller knew she must answer.

"neither will I." They embraced, hugging one another and expressing their sorrows. Alana was right. They were in this together. Alana had never let them down, no scheme had failed and neither would this one. Over the shoulder of her sister she looked down at the once sleeping child. She was awake now, looking up at her mother and aunt with that same lost gaze, but this time Keller thought she saw something alive in her eyes; as if she understood what had just transpired; as if she knew it was about her. "Do not worry little love, we will save you." She whispered to the child whose brown eyes drifted close.


End file.
